Bosom-board



L. FUNK.

BOSOM BOARD.

(No Model.)

Patented Oct. 12, 1886 5 MM a a! w w z J d M M wfi; u a m UNITED STATESPATENT FFICE.

LEVI FUNK, OF \VAYNESBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

BOSOM-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 350,732, dated ()ctober12, 1888.

' Application filed March 10, 1886. Serial No. 194.721. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LEVI FUNK, a citizen of the United States, residingat XVaynesburg, in the county of Greene and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Bosom-Boards, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being bad to the accompanyingdrawings.

My invention relates to bosonrboards, and is designed as an improvement011 the construction shown, described, and claimed in Letters Patent N0. 229,475.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide certainimprovements on the devices for holding the shoulders of the shirt uponthe board and protecting the p reviouslyironed neckband while the bosomis being ironed. To this end I provide a strip or block at the top endof the board, around which strip or block the previously-ironed neckbandfits, and to the upper or outer side of the said block are pivotedswinging spring pressers or clamps, each of which is made of a singlepiece of wire forming two arms, which are adapted to fit around cleatsprojecting from the upper end of the board on opposite sides of theaforesaid strip or block, said clamps swinging at right angles to theface of the board.

The invention consists in the improvement above noted and in certaindetails of construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafterset forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of abosom-board embodying my improvement, showing the shirt adjustedthereon. Fig. 2 is a central horizontal section of the same. Fig. 3 is adetail perspective view of one of the spring pressers or clamps. Fig. 4is a perspective view of a deteched portion of the board,illustratingthe fit ting of the spring pressers or clamps around the cleats. Fig. 5is a side elevation of a portion of one end of the board.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the severalfigures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the board proper, which isconstructed of wood, and of such form as to suit the requirements, andprovided with the usual cloth covering.

The upper or top end of the board is provided with a strip, B, of alength to correspond with the diameter of the board, to which the saidstrip is seen red by nails, screws, or other-suitable means. At or aboutthe center of the strip B is secured a block, 0, and at the two ends ofsaid strip are provided narrow cleats a. The diameter ofthe block 0 isthe same as the strip B, while the diameter of the cleats a isconsiderably less; and, furthermore, said cleats do not extend out tothe end of the strip B, but leave a small space, for the purposeshereinafter explained.

Upon the upper or outer-side oi. the block 0 is pivoted the ends of twospring-pressers or shoulderclamps, D, each of which is coir structed ofa single piece of spring-wire of any suitable thickness, doubled at thecenter to form two parallel horizontal arms, the inner ends of which arebent to form eyes, the eye of one arm aligning with the eye of thefellow arm. The screw or pin which serves as the pivot for the springpressers or clamps passes through the aligned eyes into the block, sothat the clamps can. be turned or swung at right angles to the faces ofthe board. Each of the spring pressers or clamps D is bent upward at anintermediate point of its length, as at I), the degree of bendcorresponding to the height of the block 0. It willthus be seen that oneportion of the spring pressers or clamps is on a line with the top orouter face of the block, while the other portion comes nearly on a linewith the strip B, thus having both ends of the clamps on differentplanes. The intermediate bend, b, of the clamps D is located somedistance from each end of the block, so that the neckband will fitaround the block and the clamps not interfere with the same.

It is well known that the neckband ofa shirt is ironedj ust before beingplaced on the board, and it is desirable that this previously-ironedneckbaud be not rumpled ordisarranged while adjusting the shirt on theboard. The block 0 provides a pivot for the spring pressers or clampsbeyond or above the shirt-band,so that the clamp in its movements willnot touch the band, and also enables the neckband to fit neatly aroundthe block, the latter protecting the band from being rumpled ordisarranged. After the neckband has been ironed, to adjust the shirt thespring pressers or clamps are both swung at right angles to the faces ofthe board, so as to come parallel with each other. The opening at theneckband allows the passage of the clamps D when the band is placedaround the base of the block 0. The clamps are then swung down or inwardtoward the board untilthey come in contact with the cleats (1 when theclamps are raised slightly to clear the top of the cleats, and thenallowed to spring down around thela'tter, both arms of the clampsfitting around the opposite sides of the cleats and holding theshirtinposition. The doubled portion of the clamps or pressers press the shirtaround the cleats,and since the latter are not as large in diameter andlength as the strip B, when the clamps are adjusted in position, they donot come on a line or project from the face of the board. Thus inironing the shirt the iron will not touch the spring pressers or clamps,but the latter will be out of the way. In withdrawing the shirt fromtheboard the spring pressers or clamps are first raised at their outerends,so as to clear the cleats a, the clamps are swung. up or out, whenthe shirt may be removed without having the clamps touch the neckband ordisarrange the shirt, bosom. By the arrangement of the block 0, togetherwith the construction of the spring pressers or clamps, one portion ofthe latter extends out some distance from the block to clear theneckband, and the other portion serves as a presser-point for theclamps.

I do not claim, broadly, hinged spring pressers or clamps for thepurpose mentioned, but limit myself to the peculiar construction andcombination as claimed.

The strip B, and also cleats a a, may be formed integral with the boardwithout departing from the spirit of my invention, but it has been founddesirable to construct the parts as shown in the accompanying drawings.

To the lower end of the board A is secured a piece, E, of the samelength as the diameter of the board, the outer face of the piece being 7rounded; but in place of this construction the strip E may be dispensedwith by rounding the outer or lower end of the board. A clamping-strip,F, has its inner face rounded to correspond with the rounded face of thepieceE or the board A. To the outeriface or side edge of the board A arepivoted the ends of spring wires or rods G, the same extending-downparallel with the side edge of the board and passing through grooves 0,formed in the ends of the strip F. The wires or rods G are then bentinwardly and secured by staples to the outer sides of the saidclamping-strip F, the

ends of the wires or rods being bent and inserted into the latter, andthereby secured in place. When the clamping-strip F is brought intoengagement with the strip E, the wires G will be depressed into thegrooves G,the springwires, by their expansive force, serving to securelyhold or bind the strip F in close contact with the strip E. The outerface of the strip F is made flat, so that when the rear end of the shirtis drawn around the flat outer face of the strip, down beneath the sameand inserted between the rounded faces of the strip F and strip E, theaction of the strip F, when it is swung down, serves to tighten theshirt.

over the board. In adjusting the shirt the strip F is swung up the shirtpassed around the fiat outer face of the strip F and down beneath thesame, and up between the rounded faces of the strips F and E. Byswinging the strip F down the latter presses its rounded face againstthe rounded face of the strip E, so as to bind the shirt between the twoparts. By continuing the swinging of the strip F downward the shirt iscaused to be stretched to a greater degree. 1

The slots or grooves O are essential to the practical working of thestretching-strip F, as they enable the spring-wires G to yield or giveinward when the strip is swung down, and thus impart the necessarybinding action to insure the proper stretching of the shirt.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- The board A, having ablock, 0, provided at right angles to the faces of the board, and

the other or loop endof the clamps fitting around the cleats a, to holdthe shirt over the same, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

LEVI FUNK.

\Vitnesses:

Tnos. J. MORRIS, L. E. CALDWELL.

